Chapter 291: Flowers
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
The few of them were chatting happily when Liu You returned.
She had coaxed and deceived the matchmaker into leaving, and the matchmaker reminded her on her way out, “Zhao Wan is usually a silent woman. Would Zhang Hu really be afraid of his mother? You must stay for lunch today. Let Zhang Hu speak up for you. Once that’s done, everything will be settled.”
Liu You was speechless. The most formidable person in the Zhang family was Zhao Wan. She had heard from Zhang Hu that although the Old Master Zhang seemed to be the decision-maker in the household, it was really his wife, Zhao Wan, who had the final say.
Zhang Hu was quite fond of Liu You. He had often quarreled with his family for her sake, even coming to blows with Old Master Zhang. After several dishes were smashed, it was Zhang Ping who intervened and ended the dispute.
After the death of the Old Master Zhang, Liu You thought that there would be no barriers between them and they could be together smoothly. However, Zhang Hu’s attitude became even more distant, and he didn’t even dare to meet her secretly.
Before, they would meet every few days, but now it became once every week or so.
Liu You began to suspect that Zhang Hu’s feelings for her had changed. After many arguments, Zhang Hu finally admitted that Zhao Wan did not agree with their marriage and forbade them to meet privately.
Actually, what Zhao Wan had said was, “Liu You is a girl and will have to get married one day. It’s not good for her reputation if you two are seen too close. For her sake, you need to keep your distance.”
Zhao Wan had never unleashed her fury or scolded the children at home, yet the Zhang siblings fundamentally did not dare to refute her.
The fear of contradicting her was different from fearing their father, the Old Master Zhang. When faced with someone who has a short temper, they might still muster the courage to resist when pushed to their limits. However, in front of Zhao Wan, it was as if they lost their will to fight, resigning themselves to acquiescence.
Ever since Liu You met Zhao Wan for the first time, she felt an innate unease. After hearing what Zhang Hu said, she genuinely didn’t dare to brazenly seek him out anymore. The two could only secretly meet occasionally during hunting trips and then part ways hurriedly.
On this particular visit, Liu You had a frank conversation with Zhang Hu, saying, “My father has made it clear. If we don’t get married soon, you’ll regret it! You always claim to love me, secretly leaving rabbits and roe deer at my doorstep. What’s the point? If you don’t marry me, it just shows you’re not sincere. Watch out, or 1 might not stick with you anymore!”
Zhang Hu gritted his teeth, “Fine, even if it means having a row at home, 1 will marry you!”
After Liu You sent away the matchmaker, she returned to the house.
Zhao Wan was playing with Jiang Gu. She found that the three girls from the Jiang family were each more charming than the last. The youngest, Jiang Gu, was like a chubby little dumpling; anyone who saw her wanted to cuddle and pinch her. When she saw Liu You come in, she pretended not to notice and continued to pinch Jiang Gu’s chubby cheeks.
Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, Liu You deliberately said warmly, “Aunt Zhao, I heard that people from Sister Jiang’s maternal home have come. 1 was worried she might be overwhelmed, so 1 came to help.”
Zhao Wan paused her actions and looked at her lightly, “Today, it’s a meal for family members. It might not be appropriate for you to be here.”
Jiang Qing’s maternal relatives and the Zhang family were essentially family. This meal was a family feast. If she, an outsider, stayed, what would the village gossipmongers say?
They might assume that her relationship with Zhang Hu was already a done deal.
Liu You hadn’t expected Zhao Wan to be so blunt, not giving her any room to navigate. She stood there, at a loss, when she heard some noises from the courtyard. The hunting party had returned.
The first to enter the house was Zhang Ping. He was holding a bouquet of wildflowers in white, yellow, and light pink shades, which looked very beautiful.
Although Zhang Ping was quite straightforward, he had good aesthetic sense. The bouquet, mixed with a few green leaves and tied with a grass rope, looked incredibly pleasing.
After greeting the elders, he went straight to Jiang Qing, draped an arm around her shoulders, and handed her the flowers, “I saw a field of wildflowers on the mountain today. They were in full bloom, so I picked some for you.”
Jiang Qing smiled sweetly, her eyes curving like crescent moons, “Alright, I’ll replace the flowers by my bed later. Those flowers are still fresh, but the colors of today’s flowers look better than the last time’s.”
No wonder Zhang Ping made bouquets. It wasn’t his first time giving flowers, and it seemed he did so quite often..